Looking for the best bjj knee brace? Well you’ve come to the right place. In this post, we’ll take look at options for the best knee support for bjj as well as comparing the most popular knee braces and knee sleeves.
Bauerfeind GENUTRAIN Knee Brace – Best Overall Knee Sleeve*
Neenca Knee Brace – Best Affordable Knee Sleeve for BJJ
Shock Doctor – Runner Up
| Knee Brace | Standout Quality | Biggest Con | Cost | Overall Rating |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| *Bauerfeind GenuTrain* | High quality material and comfortable fit | More expensive than others | $$$ | 5/5 |
| NEENCA Professional Knee Brace | Affordable with decent fit | May not be as durable as some other brands | $ | 4.5/5 |
| Shock Doctor Ultra Knit Knee Support, Knee Brace | Excellent padding and great fit | None* (more expensive than NEENCA) | $$ | 4.5/5 |
| Anaconda Knee Brace | Stays put | Uses Velcro straps which can restrict | $$ | 3.5/5 |
| CAMBIVO 2 Pack Knee Brace, Knee Compression Sleeve | Comes in a pack of two | Poor sizing and no padding | $ | 2/5 |
| Modvel Knee Braces for Knee Pain | Good for general knee pain relief | Poor sizing and no padding | $ | 2/5 |
| EzyFit Knee Brace Support | Adjustable straps for a custom fit | Minimal padding | $ | 2/5 |
| Winzone Knee Brace by ComfyMed | Easy to put on and adjust | Small and poor fit | $ | 2/5 |
| McDavid Knee Brace with Side Hinges | Side hinges for added support | Bulkier than sleeve-style braces | $ | 2/5 |
| POWERLIX Leg Sleeve | Compression sleeve | No padding | $ | 2/5 |
Best BJJ Knee Braces (Ranked)
#1. Bauerfeind GENUTRAIN Knee Brace
| FEATURES: |
| +Great Fit |
| +High quality material |
| +Good amount of padding |
| +Offers the most support without being a “hard” knee brace |
| +No movement restriction |
| -On the expensive end |
The Bauerfeind Genutrain Knee Brace is the top recommend knee sleeve for any knee soreness, or minor sprain. >>>Jump to our full review here
It just offers better fit, higher quality of material, and I’ve found that it stays in place better than other knee sleeves.
Some things that stood out to me on this knee sleeve were:
- there is more fabric above the knee then below the knee (this seems to help keep it from sliding down more)
- thick padding around the patella (but doesn’t limit movement)
- it doesm’t have much of a rubber lining on the top and bottom openings (unlike the Neenca knee brace) which could mean that it may slide down a bit
With a more premium price tag, it may not be the choice for most. However, I always prefer to buy a quality product once instead of replacing a cheaper one down the road.
Note: if you need extra support and stability you should check out the Bauferfield Genutrain S
#2. Neenca Knee Brace
| FEATURES: |
| +Provides support without being restrictive |
| +Machine Washable |
| +Affordable |
| -May slip or slide down |
| -Stitching around patella padding may come undone over time |
This is pick for best affordable knee sleeve. While the Bauerfeind knee sleeve is just better overall in terms of fit, comfort, and support, it does come at a higher price point.
The Neenca knee brace is one I’ve worn and used frequently in the past. It gets the job done at a cheaper price, but I found that the stitching may come undone especially around the gel insert.
Either way it’s still an excellent choice for a knee sleeve that offers some decent padding with little restriction at a very affordable price
#3. Shock Doctor Ultra Knit Knee Support
| FEATURES: |
| +Comfortable, breathable material |
| +Perfect fit |
| -Ideal amount of padding |
The Shock Doctor Knee Sleeve is our runner up for best overall knee sleeve. It comes in at about half the price of the more premium Bauerfeind but truly hits all of our marks.
It has some solid gel inserts that offer more an enough padding, is comfortable to wear, and fits great. If you don’t want to save a little and still go with a quality option this is a great knee sleeve for any type of martial arts.
#4. Anaconda Knee Sleeve
| FEATURES: |
| +Good amount of padding |
| +Solid fit |
| -Uses velcro straps |
The Anaconda knee sleeve is another good option that has a decent amount of padding and fits well.
However, when compared to the Neenca knee sleeve or the Shock Doctor knee sleeve, I just prefer a knee sleeve without velcro straps. Again, this may be my own personal preference, but I find velcro straps restrictive and a bit uncomfortable.
#5. Cambivo Knee Braces
| FEATURES: |
| +Anti-Slip silicone |
| -Not the best fit |
| -May not offer enough support |
| -Does not include any gel inserts (minimal padding) |
The Cambivo knee sleeves didn’t really hit our marks.
The Camibov knee sleeves like the POWERLIX and Modvel sleeves are just fabric and do not include any gel inserts, and I’ve found that they really didn’t offer much support.
Additionally, while these are more affordable, I just found them overall poor fitting and not the best option for jiu jitsu practitioners.
#6. Modvel Knee Braces
| FEATURES: |
| +Made from a blend of Nylon and Latex |
| +Sweat-absorbing |
| +Machine Washable |
| -May not always stay in place |
Another affordable knee sleeve. This two pack from Modvel are simply fabric sleeves so don’t expect any gel inserts or additional padding.
For people who train BJJ or wrestling and are constantly putting pressure on their knees, we’d recommend something with more padding like the knee sleeves from Bauerfeind, Shock Doctor, or Neenca.
#7. EzyFit Knee Brace
| FEATURES: |
| +3 strap system |
| +Doesn’t cover much area |
| -Minimal padding |
| -Velcro straps may be too restrictive |
The EZ fit knee sleeve is a knee sleeve that I wouldn’t recommend for BJJ. For me personally, I think a knee sleeve without velcro straps and that covers more area like the Neenca knee sleeve is best.
The EZ fit sleeve didn’t fit the best, and I couldn’t find a comfortable way attach the velcro straps to have them offer support while not being uncomfortable or restrictive.
#8. Winzone Knee Brace
| FEATURES: |
| +Velcro straps for extra support |
| -Poor fit |
| -Small |
| -Straps may have to pulled tight which can lead to discomfort |
Another knee sleeve that relies on velcro straps is the Winzone Knee Stabilizer.
This knee sleeve may work for people with minor knee injuries, but I strongly wouldn’t recommend them for those training any type of martial art. It simply just doesn’t offer much protection, and I found that it doesn’t really stay put.
#9. McDavid Knee Brace with Side Hinges
| FEATURES: |
| +Great stability and support |
| -Not ideal for bjj or any close contact martial art |
| -Have to keep velcro traps tight to keep it in place |
| -Includes hard parts on outside of sleeve |
| -May limit mobility |
The McDavid Knee Brace is made for maximum support with velcro and side hinges. However, with this amount of support I found it to definitely be restrictive and probably not recommend for Brazilian jiu jitsu.